Just the Beginning
by Tiva4evaxxx
Summary: MERRY CHRISTMAS RACH! Sweet little Tiva one shot, on Christmas day.


**Merry Christmas Rach!!! I hope you like this, just a random one shot that's fluffy and oh so cheesy and repetitive - but i've decided, it's christmas, and therefore, acceptable! **

**Disclaimer: I own nothing... unfortunately! I'm pretty sure i'm getting Season 5 boxset for christmas...**

Just the Beginning

Ziva rolled over, the covers tangled around her body. "Good morning sleepy head," Tony said, placing a soft kiss on the corner of her mouth.

"Merry Christmas," she said mumbling, burying her face in Tony's chest. He laughed and ran his fingers through her tangled curly hair.

"Merry Christmas gorgeous," he laughed again. "When did you get such a... un-morning person?"

"Since we were up all night," she groaned,

He grinned widely at her and wiggled his eyebrows as she turned to face him. He started to kiss up her neck and she groaned, pushing him away "Come on, we need to get out of bed, and I can give you your Christmas present," she said smiling at him.

"Can't," he said in between kisses, "This, be, my, Christmas, present?"

"No," she laughed, "We have invitations to Christmas dinner at Ducky's, and you will get your present then, so get up,"

"Are we going to tell them?" Tony asked, getting out of bed with a kind of disappointed-puppy expression on his face.

"I am pretty sure Gibbs already knows," Ziva replied, messily putting up her hair.

"Probably," he said, walking over to her, and wrapping his arms around her, kissing her now bared neck.

"It has been, what? Two months?"

"Yeah, you're right, well at least we can shock Probie."

"I was very careful to hide everything from Abby," she said thoughtfully.

"That'll be fun to watch," Tony laughed, "Palmer won't have a clue,"

"And Ducky will probably have been suspicious," she continued, "What do you think Gibbs will do?"

Tony shrugged, "Doesn't matter, I just got you back, there's no way I'm letting you go again. He'll probably threaten me with my life not to hurt you. So no problem there,"

She smiled, "Come on, I need to shower,"

"Can I join you," he asked, hopefully.

"No," she laughed at that look again, "We will be even later if you do, I'll be quick."

"But it's Christmas!"

"So?" She smiled,

"You are evil," he said, she laughed and shot him a smouldering look, and turned and disappeared into the bathroom.

"Evil!" he yelled after her, and could hear her laugh, just as she turned the shower on.

Tony sat down on the bed, trying to decide on what he would wear. His eyes wandered to Ziva's closet, he wasn't allowed in there, because apparently the dress was a 'surprise'. The kind that he would probably like. Ziva and he had been together for a couple of months. Somalia had opened both of their eyes, he couldn't... he wouldn't cope with anything like that again. Thinking she was dead... he'd confronted emotions that he had ignored for years, thinking it was safe, ok, because she was gone. Apparently the same had happened to her, stuck in that dreadful place over the summer. It was the only good thing to have come out of it, it had given them the nudge they needed. He loved her so much that it almost hurt to think about, but in a good way.

She came out of the shower, wrapped up in a white fluffy towel, hair damp and kissed him.

"Can't we just skip dinner at Ducky's and stay in bed all day?" He moaned, snaking his hand round the back of her neck.

"No," she said, kissing him again.

"But it's Christmas day,"

"Exactly!" She laughed, "Go on, get in the shower we are already late."

"Yes, ma'am,"

"Do not call me ma'am!" He ran and ducked as she threw his towel at him.

"Love you too honey," he said closing the bathroom door behind him, laughing.

She sighed, smiling. For the first time in a long time, she was truly happy.

She slipped on a silk green dress, enjoying the way the material felt against her smooth skin. Picking up a black shawl, she put it on, and turned her back to the mirror, and looked over her shoulder, straining to see. Relief flooded her as she realized that it did manage to cover a few faint, but still noticeable scars on her back, from the summer. It had taken a while for her to be ready for Tony to see them, she was not ready for her whole family – the rest of the team to see them. Carefully, she applied a little natural make up, and sprayed on some perfume that Tony had got her a little while ago.

He got out the shower in time to find her fiddling with what was apparently a very delicate necklace. "You look amazing," he said, taking over the fastening of the necklace. "And you smell really nice,"

She turned and smiled at him, "Get some clothes on," she said, glancing at the towel around his waist. "Unless you're going to Ducky's like that," she said, raising her eyebrows.

"Hmm, boss might kill me," he said with a thoughtful expression.

"You think?" she asked lightly.

"You're a distraction," he said to her, "You being here effects everything I do,"

She laughed, "What did you expect Tony?"

"Well I've decided I quite like it," he said, smiling at her.

"Good," she said leaning in and kissing him. He smiled, he couldn't remember the last time either of them were this happy.

A short while later, they were ready to leave.

Ziva stood up, and Tony finally got a proper look at that dress. And it clicked.

One look at his face told her that he'd realized, "That's the dress you wore undercover, isn't it?"

"Maybe," she said smiling at him.

"Come here," he said, wrapping his arms around her slight figure as she stepped towards him.

"Zee, I love you," he said, so quietly she wasn't sure she'd heard him right.

She pulled away from the embrace and looked him in the eyes. "Tony...?" Her voice trailed off.

"I mean it," he said quietly, intensity in his eyes that she rarely got the chance to see.

Her eyes filled with tears, and she kissed him to try and force the overwhelming emotions that were smothering her. "I love you too," she said, "I love you," she repeated, liking how it sounded from her lips.

She hadn't been loved like this in a long time... and it was just the beginning. She smiled up at him, "Ready to go?" She asked.

"Yep, ready to face everyone?"

"No, but I doubt very much that will change."

He laughed, and handed her a coat, so far it was turning out to be the best Christmas either of them had ever had – and this was just the beginning.

**You gotta love the tiva banter! Review if you wish, but it's only one person's Christmas present! Rach. . . ?**

**xxxxxxxxxx**


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